WRC T.V Coverage

[paudie c]

I'm new to this forum, I'm living in Ireland and does anyone know what channels will be broadcasting the wrc coverage? Not really impressed with motorstv, too much in car footage and I believe Dave is not showing it anymore.

[AndyRAC]

There were stories about Channel5 having highlights on a Monday night, haven't heard anything for about a month. Should we be worried??

[Sulland]

Hopefully MOTORS TV will have a couple of lessons learned from 2010, that will help in 2011.

If not, it will be a sad story I am afraid !

[Allyc85]

There were stories about Channel5 having highlights on a Monday night, haven't heard anything for about a month. Should we be worried??

Its not a good sign leaving it so late is it :confused:

[paudie c]

Thanks, if you hear anything, keep me posted :)

[GigiGalliNo1]

ESPN will broadcast WRC in UK

[Livewireshock]

ESPN will broadcast WRC in UK

4.5 hours of footage per rally and a special on the Mini WRC development on February 2. One hour preview show of each rally and all power stages live but studio hosted so could be a bunch of talking heads.

[manta400]

Espn yeah wonderfull now we have to upgrade sky tv channels, HD for F1 and now pay to watch WRC tv

[Doon]

Why try to sugar coat this terrible news!!! Nail in the coffin for WRC in my book.....pay TV, seriously what the fcuk!

http://www.wrc.com/news/new-tv-deal-gives-uk-wrc-fans-more-coverage-than-ever-before/?fid=14027

[MrJan]

ESPN will broadcast WRC in UK

ESPN is a suscribe channel that costs stupid money. For example if you have SkyTV you'll be paying at least £12 a month for the basic package of extra channels. ESPN is an extra to SkyTV that costs another £12 a month. So if I wanted to watch ESPN coverage of the WRC I would be looking at an extra £288 for this year alone.

Basically saying that ESPN is showing it is the same as kicking me in the balls :D

[MrJan]

Additionally in 2011, ESPN Classic will feature 30 one-hour WRC archive programmes,

What's the betting that those archive programmes are the same that ITV4 and Dave have shown over the last few years? Yay, more Paul King.

I got my Dad the Castrol Classics collection for Christmas, I think that I'll just watch those on a Sunday evening instead, the rallying is better, the drivers more interesting, the cars sound better and the directors knew what they were doing. In fact, in retrospect, I'll happily take 3 hours of Barrie Hinchcliffe films over the whole 2011 WRC season.

**** you modern rallying, you suck.

[RS]

I have Sky but I'm not paying the extra for ESPN. Anyone know whether WRC will be on any other channel in the UK this year? Motors/5/Dave?

[Allyc85]

RIP WRC :(

I really am speechless!

[Motorsportfun]

What's the problem? Here in Italy until 2010 we had to pay every year for WRC and we were happy, because there was a good coverage...

In Italy, now, we're more unhappy to see it on free-to-air Rai Sport 1 channel, 'cause they pick the 1-hour highlights and they edit to a 30-minutes "thing" we don't understand what effectively is...

If there's a good coverage (4,5 hours per event is good!), happy to pay!!!

I got Sky Italy, and we don't have anything about motorsports... just IRC, WTCC... we lost F1, DTM, Superleague, MotoGP practices, etc... so welcome ESPN which make a good coverage!

Don't blame all the things, guys, you're boring!

[fastboy]

I have Sky but I'm not paying the extra for ESPN. Anyone know whether WRC will be on any other channel in the UK this year? Motors/5/Dave?

I'm hoping the coverage will be shown on ESPN Classics,which is free if you subscribe to a sky sports package.
And motors t.v will still show WRC for two more years in u.k.

I think it looks good,especially if the power stage live coverage is any good.

[tintin]

They have said that they will be showing classic rallies on ESPN Classic as part of the deal. I wouldn't be surprised if more people watch these than the live stages.

[Pinto]

What's the problem? Here in Italy until 2010 we had to pay every year for WRC and we were happy, because there was a good coverage...

In Italy, now, we're more unhappy to see it on free-to-air Rai Sport 1 channel, 'cause they pick the 1-hour highlights and they edit to a 30-minutes "thing" we don't understand what effectively is...

If there's a good coverage (4,5 hours per event is good!), happy to pay!!!

I got Sky Italy, and we don't have anything about motorsports... just IRC, WTCC... we lost F1, DTM, Superleague, MotoGP practices, etc... so welcome ESPN which make a good coverage!

Don't blame all the things, guys, you're boring!

i think most peoples problem is they have to fork out extra money for a crap channel that they will only watch the wrc and many people cant justify that.
i for one feel that way i would pay a few quid more perhaps if i was getting a decent package with decent veiwing with espn you will have ok the WRC but then on a monday night you will have a crap premiership game between blackpool and wigan,not my cup of tea anyway.

[AndyRAC]

What's the problem? Here in Italy until 2010 we had to pay every year for WRC and we were happy, because there was a good coverage...

In Italy, now, we're more unhappy to see it on free-to-air Rai Sport 1 channel, 'cause they pick the 1-hour highlights and they edit to a 30-minutes "thing" we don't understand what effectively is...

If there's a good coverage (4,5 hours per event is good!), happy to pay!!!

I got Sky Italy, and we don't have anything about motorsports... just IRC, WTCC... we lost F1, DTM, Superleague, MotoGP practices, etc... so welcome ESPN which make a good coverage!

Don't blame all the things, guys, you're boring!

I'm sorry, but you completely miss the point, as far as Motorsport/ sport in the UK goes.
Only MotoGP and F1 get 'normal'/terrestrial free-to-air coverage in the UK - and with it goes good coverage in the papers, and TV news, etc
All the other Motorsports are on either freeview or pay/satellite - and as such, are viewed as 'niche'/minority. In the UK, the WRC's media profile has gone - RallyGB passed virtually un-noticed, nothing on the main National TV/Radio stations.
Therefore, this deal, while good, is only preaching to the converted - where are all the future/new fans going to come from?? We are told that the UK is a big market for the WRC. To get back some decent coverage and more interest requires coverage on a 'normal'/terrestrial TV station.

[Pecker]

ESPN is a suscribe channel that costs stupid money. For example if you have SkyTV you'll be paying at least £12 a month for the basic package of extra channels. ESPN is an extra to SkyTV that costs another £12 a month. So if I wanted to watch ESPN coverage of the WRC I would be looking at an extra £288 for this year alone.

Basically saying that ESPN is showing it is the same as kicking me in the balls :D

£9.00 a month if you already subscribe to Sky Sports.

[Motorsportfun]

I'm sorry, but you completely miss the point, as far as Motorsport/ sport in the UK goes.
Only MotoGP and F1 get 'normal'/terrestrial free-to-air coverage in the UK - and with it goes good coverage in the papers, and TV news, etc
All the other Motorsports are on either freeview or pay/satellite - and as such, are viewed as 'niche'/minority. In the UK, the WRC's media profile has gone - RallyGB passed virtually un-noticed, nothing on the main National TV/Radio stations.
Therefore, this deal, while good, is only preaching to the converted - where are all the future/new fans going to come from?? We are told that the UK is a big market for the WRC. To get back some decent coverage and more interest requires coverage on a 'normal'/terrestrial TV station.

It's just necessary a good promotion from the tv station. Is a good promotion to show 30 mins of highlights in a normal tv station, maybe 5 days after the rally (like RAI does), or is better to pay something and see also live coverage and the action as-it-happens?

Sky in Italy made interesting and exciting the Ryder Cup too(!!), although golf is more than a "niche" sport in a nation which follows with not much interest neither F1 nor MotoGP!

To attract new fans it's necessary the free wrc.com web-tv explained by Quesnel to my magazine, which costs about 8 millions euro. If will come a new sponsor able to pay thay bill, it's a new product they can launch! The internet is a great way to promote a series... guess who became a star with it? Not Barbie's boyfriend...

[MrJan]

£9.00 a month if you already subscribe to Sky Sports.

Yeah but £12 if you're just on normal Sky package. What's a Sky Sports Package anyway? £20/month? Doesn't matter anyway because I don't subscribe to any of it, nor intend to.

Motorsportfun, you're completely missing the point. This isn't a case of the tv station promoting anything, this is some backwater channel that no-one wants because it's so expensive. People will happily subscribe to Sky, they'll even pay the extra money for some sports channels, but very few people will want to pay even more for a channel that shows American sports and lower league football. Moving the WRC to ESPN is like......well I can't really compare it to anything, it's that stupid a decision.

[J4MIE]

I am quite happy paying £1 a month for the eurosport etc part of Sky.... even if they prioritise the snooker over the Dakar....

[tintin]

ESPN has built up quite a motorsport portfolio in only a year:
DTM
FIA GT1
Superleague Formula
F3 Euroseries
and now WRC

[Motorsportfun]

I guess some of you will blame also if BBC will broadcast the WRC free and in "native" HD... I could guess money too! :D

[Motorsportfun]

ESPN has built up quite a motorsport portfolio in only a year:
DTM
FIA GT1
Superleague Formula
F3 Euroseries
and now WRC

Agree, think that in Italy we follow all these series... via the championships web-tv!! :o

[Simmi]

ESPN has built up quite a motorsport portfolio in only a year:
DTM
FIA GT1
Superleague Formula
F3 Euroseries
and now WRC

I'm guessing there will be more than just the WRC added to that this season too.

It's terrible news for people who don't get the channel. No doubt about that.

But I promise you, aside from somehow setting up WRC TV, no other channel would give you this amount of coverage. Or anywhere close to it. Seems it was a toss up between this and out-of-date highlights and not a lot else on Five.

What I'm hoping is that ESPN bring Neil Cole on board as his tweets have hinted at something being in the works.

You can all come round my house and watch it if you like. My ESPN subscription just got much better value for money.

[6789]

I'm guessing there will be more than just the WRC added to that this season too.

It's terrible news for people who don't get the channel. No doubt about that.

But I promise you, aside from somehow setting up WRC TV, no other channel would give you this amount of coverage. Or anywhere close to it. Seems it was a toss up between this and out-of-date highlights and not a lot else on Five.

What I'm hoping is that ESPN bring Neil Cole on board as his tweets have hinted at something being in the works.

You can all come round my house and watch it if you like. My ESPN subscription just got much better value for money.

Live streaming for forum members? :P

[GigiGalliNo1]

Free on HD channel in Australia!!

Plus Cable/Sat TV don't air WRC but will find out if our Asian feed get WRC on ESPN (?!)

[Motorsportfun]

Free on HD channel in Australia!!

Plus Cable/Sat TV don't air WRC but will find out if our Asian feed get WRC on ESPN (?!)

One HD? :D

[GigiGalliNo1]

ONE HD

si si

[Doon]

Yeah but £12 if you're just on normal Sky package. What's a Sky Sports Package anyway? £20/month? Doesn't matter anyway because I don't subscribe to any of it, nor intend to.

Motorsportfun, you're completely missing the point. This isn't a case of the tv station promoting anything, this is some backwater channel that no-one wants because it's so expensive. People will happily subscribe to Sky, they'll even pay the extra money for some sports channels, but very few people will want to pay even more for a channel that shows American sports and lower league football. Moving the WRC to ESPN is like......well I can't really compare it to anything, it's that stupid a decision.

I agree 100%, North One should have sold the WRC coverage cheap to anyone free-to-view....even Channel 5. Looking at the bigger picture, the main problem still lies in the lack of manufactures and competitors, but how do you attract them without the right coverage and media exposure!? Catch 22 situation!

I think the cheapest way to get ESPN look to be through BT Vision. We pay £7.50 extra a month for BT Vision, which has loads of great free movies and TV boxsets, on our telephone and broadband package. ESPN is an extra £9.99 annual payment, less than a quid a month, can't grummble too much!

[Simmi]

I reckon ESPN costs about the same per year as going to Wales for the weekend and getting fleeced to watch our national round of the World Rally Championship.

[Doon]

I reckon ESPN costs about the same per year as going to Wales for the weekend and getting fleeced to watch our national round of the World Rally Championship.

Everything can be done on the cheap if you plan ahead. For the last two years i've done 2 days of Rally GB for £50 including camping, fuel (from Cheshire for two people in a car), food, and beer :) ! Buy yourself some OS maps, or better still print them off via multimap.co.uk. It's not just the benefit of being cheap, you also get to pick your spot away from the 'pens', and you get to experience the lovely views Wales has to offer! All it takes it a little thought and a few miles of walking. Myherin, Radnor, Resolfen/Rhondda are in wasy walking distance of campsites or carparks. Do it in 2011, you won't regret it!

[MJW]

I reckon ESPN costs about the same per year as going to Wales for the weekend and getting fleeced to watch our national round of the World Rally Championship.
But rallying on TV is NOTHING LIKE watching at the side of the
stage. Saturday of last year's Rally GB was awesome with Loeb, Petter and Jari Matti in a different world. Just doesn't show on TV as good as it really is. Funny you should make the comparison with going to watch an event, I priced both options and feel that going to Spain for the cost of a year's ESPN subscription is what I will do.

[Pinto]

will the WRC be on S4C,their rally GB programe was top class choper shots and all.i never have a clue what their saying but they allways give good coverage and they are on the normal sky package.

[Simmi]

But rallying on TV is NOTHING LIKE watching at the side of the stage.

Believe me I know. I was just trying to make a point with a sly dig at GB pricing. It's not like the price even stops me going anyway.


And Doon. I've always wanted to do something similar. Something great about choosing your own spot.

[StevieWonder]

WRC in HD ?

just imagine all those clouds of dust in HD - can be funny ;-)

but nevertheless I agree with MJW: live at the stage is live at the stage - that´s why I´m in Sweden in February :-)

[GigiGalliNo1]

WRC has been in HD not sure what resolution but it has been broadcast in the US on Discovery HD ;)

[6789]

WRC has been in HD not sure what resolution but it has been broadcast in the US on Discovery HD ;)
Its just upscaled HD but?

[GigiGalliNo1]

But it would have at least been recorded in 576 or 720!!!

[6789]

576 would be my guess, natve HD would be awesome!

[GigiGalliNo1]

imagine the sound.....

[whereschris]

Just to let you know that I am a sucker for watching WRC so called Sky as I am an existing customer and enquired about espn. I did a bit of moaning and threatening to leave and they discounted my HD subscription by 50% and gave me ESPN for £6 a month for 12 months. No too bad really though would prefer it on the BBC.

[tfp]

Just to let you know that I am a sucker for watching WRC so called Sky as I am an existing customer and enquired about espn. I did a bit of moaning and threatening to leave and they discounted my HD subscription by 50% and gave me ESPN for £6 a month for 12 months. No too bad really though would prefer it on the BBC.

Hah, what a brilliant idea, sky will be recieving a phone call from me in the near future!!

[Eddie P]

I'm in the US and have enjoyed the WRC on HD Theater for the past two years. I emailed them a few days ago after not seeing 2011 on their web site and was informed that they no longer intend to carry it. Does anyone have any ideas as to how I might watch the WRC in 2011? Thanks in advance.

--- email with HD Theater ---
Dear Viewer,

Thank you for contacting HD Theater. We appreciate your interest in our
programming. At this time there are no plans to air the 2011 World Rally
Championship.

Please know that we have forwarded your comments on to program management
for consideration in future programming decisions.

Again, thank you for your interest in our programming.

Sincerely,

Viewer Relations
HD Theater

[GigiGalliNo1]

Ask wrc.com! =) Or North One =)

[Eddie P]

I sent an email to WRC.com yesterday. We'll see if they respond.

[andreydh]

last year I watched both OneHD and Dave.
http://avaxhome.ws/video/genre/Sports/wrc_2010.html

[AlienEntity]

I emailed wrc.com yesterday and got this response concerning U.S. coverage:



The 2011 Broadcaster Schedule will be announced shortly.
In the Unites States – Discovery channel will again carry the WRC programming.

Thank you for you continued interest in the FIA World Rally Championship!
With best regards




NORTH ONE SPORT

[Frozzy]

i thought MOTORS tv was still going to have a highlights package for this season to show but ESPN was going to have all the good stuff

[big_sw2000]

ESPN avalible hear

http://mypremium.tv/

[satnav]

ESPN avalible hear

http://mypremium.tv/

Thanks for that

[dcr22B]

http://www.rallybuzz.com/german-wrc-tv-2011/

FTA in Germany, the final insult for GB rally fans.

[manta400]

I see Jon Desborough of Sky News/Sports is the lead anchor man for ESPN coverage. He used to do it with Robbie Head I think when it was on Channel 4. He is a good presenter and knows his stuff. Pal of Richard Burns if i remember correctly!

[MrJan]

http://www.rallybuzz.com/german-wrc-tv-2011/

FTA in Germany, the final insult for GB rally fans.

That's beyond a ****ing joke.

[Motorsportfun]

http://www.rallybuzz.com/german-wrc-tv-2011/

FTA in Germany, the final insult for GB rally fans.

Also in Italy there's a negotiation with Rai Sport 1 (FTA channel), told me about this the channel director Maurizio Losa. ;)

[AndyRAC]

I see Jon Desborough of Sky News/Sports is the lead anchor man for ESPN coverage. He used to do it with Robbie Head I think when it was on Channel 4. He is a good presenter and knows his stuff. Pal of Richard Burns if i remember correctly!

That's not a bad choice - he's also been on Wales Rally Radio for the last few years. Wish him all the best. It would be nice if they could get Mark James as well, but I can't see that happening...

[gravelman]

This is a huge drop of the ball on the part of North One and it has to be said on the part of the terrestrial channels. Whilst it hasnt been reveal ed who the lead sponsor of the MINI Prodrive effort has not been announced, surely a commercial agreement could have been brokered for WRC to return to the BIG channels. For example, lets say, Nokia for example were lead sponsor of the Mini team, they could be the sponsor of the show. Obviously this would not work on the BBC ,as advertising just aint gonna happen. But for an iconic British brand to be returning to the highest echelon of the sport, it makes little marketing sense for their efforts and potential successes to be hidden in the lowere reaches of the sports channels on digital TV, whilst the like of Darts, Skiiing and Horse Racing maintain their hold on the primetime sports slots. The advertising revenue to be generated by ITV/Channel 4 from the transmission of such a sports event is immense. Car insurers, magazines, lifestyle brands and car accessory chains would beat down the door to get their products shown to their potential audience. In my research for my marketing thesis, it became apparant to me that the motoring sector was the one that invested the most in terms of expenditure in the UK on advertising. Rival brands to those competing in the WRC would have their eyes opened to the commercial viability of having their car seen on the TV in an exciting environment, thus enticing newteams to the sport, allowing everyone to benefit. Alas, it looks like this won't happen

[AndyRAC]

Car manufacturers and associated companies would likely get more exposure sponsoring a sports tournament than getting involved in a minority motorsport. (Ford are a sponsor in the Champions League, Hyundai are involved with FIFA/ UEFA).

[Pecker]

Looks like ESPN Classics start showing "World Rally Classics" from 1830hrs on Tuesday 1st February.

[GigiGalliNo1]

ONE HD is FTA in Australia :)

Not sure about the live stage broadcasting but a lot of sports are live on ONE.

[Doon]

Called BT Vision last night about getting ESPN, and as I purchased a viewing card for £10 about 18 months ago, they reactivated the card and I now receive the channel free of charge :) So i'm happy about the move to ESPN, the amount of coverage looks great!!! Hope the quality of coverage is decent too.